"The Crystal Ball" by John William Waterhouse (1902, oil on canvas)

Scrying (also called crystal gazing, crystal seeing, seeing, or peeping) is a magic practice that involves seeing things supernaturally in a medium, usually for purposes of divination or fortune-telling. The media used are most commonly reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals, stones, glass, mirrors, water, fire, or smoke. Scrying has been used in many cultures as a means of divining the past, present, or future. Depending on the culture and practice, the visions that come when one stares into the media are thought to come from God, spirits, the psychic mind, the devil, or the subconscious. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (540x836, 83 KB) John William Waterhouse - The Crystal Ball (1902, oil on canvas) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Scrying Magic (fantasy) Magician (fantasy) ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (540x836, 83 KB) John William Waterhouse - The Crystal Ball (1902, oil on canvas) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Scrying Magic (fantasy) Magician (fantasy) ... John William Waterhouse. ... Not to be confused with Magic (illusion). ... Clairvoyance, from 17th century French Clair meaning clear and voyant meaning seeing, is a term used to describe the transference of information about an object, location or physical event through means other than the 5 traditional senses (See Psi). ... For other uses, see Divination (disambiguation). ... For prophecy in the context of revealed religions see Prophet. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus (breath). // The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning breath (compare spiritus asper), but also soul, courage, vigor, ultimately from a PIE root *(s)peis- (to blow). In the Vulgate, the Latin word translates Greek (πνευμα), pneuma (Hebrew (רוח) ruah), as... Edgar Cayce (1877 – 1945) was one of the best-known American psychics of the 20th century and made many highly publicized predictions. ... This is an overview of the Devil. ... See also: Unconscious mind. ...

Scrying is actively used by many cultures and belief systems and is not limited to one tradition or ideology. However, like other aspects of divination and parapsychology, it is not supported by mainstream science as a method of predicting the future or otherwise seeing events that are not physically observable. Early parapsychological research employed the use of Zener cards in experiments designed to test for possible telepathic communication. ...

Media used in scrying

A quartz crystal ball, commonly used for scrying.

The most common media used for scrying are: Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1920x2560, 585 KB) Description: Source: private Author: EvaK Date: 2006-07-24 Permission: GNU-FDL / CC-BY-SA 2. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1920x2560, 585 KB) Description: Source: private Author: EvaK Date: 2006-07-24 Permission: GNU-FDL / CC-BY-SA 2. ...

• Crystal balls (pictured), crystals, precious stones, polished quartz, beryl, or another transparent mineral body: this method is called crystal gazing gastromancy, crystallomancy or spheromancy). Crystal balls are also called shew stones. A stone or crystal is also called a seerstone or peepstone.
• Water or another liquid: this method is called hydromancy.
• Fire: this method is known as pyromancy.
• Air or atmospheric conditions: this method is known as aeromancy.
• Earth, soil or dirt: this method is known as geomancy
• Mirrors; this method is called catoptromancy, also known as captromancy, enoptromancy, or mirror gazing.
• Psychomanteum, a room used for scrying usually using mirrors, water, or crystals.

Specific objects that have been used for scrying include: This article is about the fortune telling object; for other uses, see Crystal ball (disambiguation). ... A charmstone is a mineral specimen which certain prehistoric, historic or contemporary peoples invest with healing, mystical or paranormal powers. ... For other uses, see Quartz (disambiguation). ... Three varieties of beryl: Morganite, Aquamarine, and Heliodor The mineral beryl is a beryllium aluminium cyclosilicate with the chemical formula Be3Al2(SiO3)6. ... Crystallomancy, or crystal gazing, is a method of divination of distant or future events by gazing into a crystal. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... Hydromancy (from Greek hydro, water, and manteia, divination) is the art of divination by means of water. ... For other uses, see Fire (disambiguation). ... Pyromancy (from Greek pyros, fire, and manteia, divination) is the art of divination by means of fire. ... Look up air in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Aeromancy (from Greek aero, air, and manteia, divination) is divination conducted by interpreting atmospheric conditions. ... This article is about Earth as a planet. ... Loess field in Germany Surface-water-gley developed in glacial till, Northern Ireland For the American hard rock band, see SOiL. For the System of a Down song, see Soil (song). ... Look up dirt in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Geomancer redirects here. ... A mirror is a reflective surface that is smooth enough to form an image. ... Catoptromancy (Gk. ...

• a pool of ink in the hand (Egypt)
• the liver of an animal (tribes of the North-West Indian frontier)
• a hole filled with water (Polynesia)
• quartz crystals (the Apaches and the Euahlayi tribe of New South Wales)
• a smooth slab of polished black stone (the Huille-che of South America)
• water in a vessel (Zulus and Siberians)
• a crystal (the Incas)
• a mirror (classical Greece and the Middle Ages)
• a fingernail
• a swordblade
• a ring-stone
• a glass of sherry
• the burning of a poppy flowerbud on hot coals

For the bird, see Liver bird. ... Carving from the ridgepole of a Māori house, ca 1840 Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a large grouping of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. ... For other uses, see Quartz (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Apache (disambiguation). ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Languages Zulu Religions Christian, African Traditional Religion Related ethnic groups Bantu Nguni Basotho Xhosa Swazi Matabele Khoisan The Zulu (South African English and isiZulu: amaZulu) are a South African ethnic group of an estimated 17-22 million people who live mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. ... This article is about Siberia as a whole. ... Inca redirects here. ... A mirror, reflecting a vase. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... This article discusses the anatomical nail. ... A glass of amontillado Sherry For other uses, see Sherry (disambiguation). ... This article is about the plant. ... Coal Coal is a fossil fuel extracted from the ground by mining. ...

History

The calm surface of water after being disrupted, showing ripples.

The etymology of the -mancy words is the Greek manteia, "divination". Scrying comes from the English word descry meaning "to make out dimly" or "to reveal." Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1920x1320, 291 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Wave Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates User:Feydey Hydromancy User:Essjay/Userpage Images/Old User:Red Pooka/photographs Wikipedia... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1920x1320, 291 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Wave Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates User:Feydey Hydromancy User:Essjay/Userpage Images/Old User:Red Pooka/photographs Wikipedia...

Ancient Europe

Around 2,000 BC, Greece, as well as "early" Britain and its subsequent Celtic population, practised many forms of scrying.^{[citation needed]} The media often used were beryl, crystal, black glass, polished quartz, water, and other transparent or light catching bodies. This article is about the European people. ...

Celtic tribes, known to exist in Britain as early as 2,000 B.C., were unified by a priesthood known as Druids. Druids are one of the earliest known peoples to have used crystals in divination. It is interesting to note that Druid religion had similarities to megalithic religion of an earlier Britain; thus, it is possible the first use of crystal divination might have come from them.^{[citation needed]} This article is about the European people. ... For other uses, see Druid (disambiguation). ... Megalithic tomb, Mane Braz, Brittany A megalith is a large stone which has been used to construct a structure or monument either alone or with other stones. ...

Pausanias, 2nd century AD Greek traveller, described catoptromancy (mirror gazing) as follows: Pausanias (Greek: ) was a Greek traveller and geographer of the 2nd century A.D., who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. ...

Before the Temple of Ceres at Patras, there was a fountain, separated from the temple by a wall, and there was an oracle, very truthful, not for all events, but for the sick only. The sick person let down a mirror, suspended by a thread till its based touched the surface of the water, having first prayed to the goddess and offered incense. Then looking in the mirror, he saw the presage of death or recovery, according as the face appeared fresh and healthy, or of a ghastly aspect.

In Roman mythology, Ceres was the goddess of growing plants (particularly cereals) and of motherly love. ... Patras (Demotic Greek: Πάτρα, Pátra, Classical Greek: Πάτραι, Pátrai, Latin: , Ottoman Turkish: Ballıbadra) is the third-largest city of Greece and the capital of the prefecture of Achaea, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers to the west of Athens. ...

Medieval central Europe

Later, during central Europe's Medieval Period diviners used crystals to "see" into the past, present, or future. Due to its transparent nature, a natural gemstone called Beryllium Aluminum Silicate (Beryl), was often used in the divination process. Scottish Highlanders termed these objects "stones of power." Though early crystal balls were made from Beryl, they were later replaced by rock crystal, an even more transparent rock. Three varieties of beryl: Morganite, Aquamarine, and Heliodor The mineral beryl is a beryllium aluminium cyclosilicate with the chemical formula Be3Al2(SiO3)6. ...

16th century central Europe

Nostradamus is believed to have employed a small bowl of water as a scrying aid. Nostradamus: original portrait by his son Cesar Michel de Nostredame (December 14, 1503 – July 2, 1566), usually Latinized to Nostradamus, was a French apothecary and reputed seer who published collections of prophecies that have since become famous world-wide. ...

Dr John Dee (1527–1608, dates vary) was a noted British mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and consultant to Queen Elizabeth I. Dee and his assistant Edward Kelley employed crystal ball. The crystal ball and wax tablets used by Dee and Kelley are on display at the British Museum in London. For the American college basketball coach, see John Dee (basketball coach). ... Elizabeth I Queen of England and Ireland Queen of France, nominal title Elizabeth I (September 7, 1533–March 24, 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from November 17, 1558 until her death. ... Edward Kelley, nineteenth-century portrait Edward Kelley or Kelly, also known as Edward Talbot (August 1, 1555 - 1597) was a spirit medium who worked with John Dee in his magical investigations. ... London museum | name = British Museum | image = British Museum from NE 2. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ...

Religion and mythology

Judaism and Christianity

Main article: Urim and Thummim

According to the Hebrew Bible, Urim and Thummim (Variously translated from Hebrew as "Revelation and Truth" or "Lights and Perfections".) were used as a divination process. Many scholars believe they were two or twelve crystals used for scrying, but there are also other interpretations. The earliest reference is in Exodus 28:30, when Aaron carried them with him as High Priest. In ancient Israelite religion and culture, Urim and Thummim (Hebrew: האורים והתמים, Standard  Tiberian ; Arabic: الاوريم والتميم al-ŪrÄ«m waʾaṯ-á¹®ummÄ«m) is a phrase from the Hebrew Bible associated with the sacred breastplate, divination in general, and cleromancy in particular. ... This article is about the term Hebrew Bible. For the Jewish scriptures see Tanakh. ... In ancient Israelite religion and culture, Urim and Thummim (Hebrew: האורים והתמים, Standard  Tiberian ; Arabic: الاوريم والتميم al-ŪrÄ«m waʾaṯ-á¹®ummÄ«m) is a phrase from the Hebrew Bible associated with the sacred breastplate, divination in general, and cleromancy in particular. ...

Deuteronomy 18:10-11 says, There shall not be found among you... one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens or a sorcerer, or one who casts a spell, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. Christianity is traditionally against all forms of divination, historically condemned by the Catholic church and some specific forms even forbidden under pain of excommunication.

Ancient Persia

Main article: Cup of Jamshid

The Shahnameh, a semi-historical epic work written in the late 10th century, gives a description of what was called the Cup of Jamshid or Jaam-e Jam, used in pre-Islamic Persia, which was used by wizards and practitioners of the esoteric sciences for observing all the seven layers of the universe. The cup supposedly contained an elixir of immortality. The Cup of Jamshid (Cup of Djemscheed or Jaam-e Jam, in Persian: جام جم) is a cup of divination which, according to legend, was long possessed by the rulers of ancient Persia. ... Shâhnameh Shāhnāmé, or Shāhnāma (Persian: )(alternative spellings are Shahnama, Shahnameh, Shahname, Shah-Nama, etc. ... The Cup of Jamshid (Cup of Djemscheed or Jaam-e Jam, in Persian: جام جم) is a cup of divination which, according to legend, was long possessed by the rulers of ancient Persia. ...

Mormonism

Main articles: Urim and Thummim and Seer stone (Latter Day Saints)

Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint movement, said he used two stones called the Urim and Thummim, in his 1829 translation of the Book of Mormon from the Golden Plates. In ancient Israelite religion and culture, Urim and Thummim (Hebrew: האורים והתמים, Standard  Tiberian ; Arabic: الاوريم والتميم al-ŪrÄ«m waʾaṯ-á¹®ummÄ«m) is a phrase from the Hebrew Bible associated with the sacred breastplate, divination in general, and cleromancy in particular. ... In the early Latter Day Saint movement, seer stones were used as method of divination and played a significant role in its history and theology. ... Joseph Smith redirects here. ... For more general information about religious denominations that follow the teachings of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The Latter Day Saint movement (a subset of Restorationism) is a group of religious denominations and adherents who follow at least some of the teachings and revelations of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... In ancient Israelite religion and culture, Urim and Thummim (Hebrew: האורים והתמים, Standard  Tiberian ; Arabic: الاوريم والتميم al-ŪrÄ«m waʾaṯ-á¹®ummÄ«m) is a phrase from the Hebrew Bible associated with the sacred breastplate, divination in general, and cleromancy in particular. ... The Book of Mormon[1] is regarded by Latter Day Saints as divinely revealed and is named after the prophet–historian Mormon who, according to the text, compiled most of the book. ... An 1893 engraving of Joseph Smith receiving the Golden Plates and the Urim and Thummim from the angel Moroni. ...

The Urim and Thummim is mentioned several times in the Old Testament as well as the Book of Mormon. In Mormon theology it is an instrument prepared by God that assists man in obtaining revelation and in translating languages. In ancient Israelite religion and culture, Urim and Thummim (Hebrew: האורים והתמים, Standard  Tiberian ; Arabic: الاوريم والتميم al-ŪrÄ«m waʾaṯ-á¹®ummÄ«m) is a phrase from the Hebrew Bible associated with the sacred breastplate, divination in general, and cleromancy in particular. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Note: Judaism... The Book of Mormon[1] is regarded by Latter Day Saints as divinely revealed and is named after the prophet–historian Mormon who, according to the text, compiled most of the book. ...

In folklore

In this Halloween greeting card from 1904, divination is depicted: the young woman looking into a mirror in a darkened room hopes to catch a glimpse of the face of her future husband.

Rituals that involve many of the same acts as scrying in ceremonial magic are also preserved in folklore form. A formerly widespread tradition held that young women, gazing into a mirror in a darkened room (often on Hallowe'en) could catch a glimpse of their future husband's face in the mirror — or a skull personifying Death, if their fate was to die before they married. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Greeting cards on display at retail. ... For other uses, see Divination (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... This article is about the holiday. ... Grim Reaper redirects here. ...

Another form of the tale, involving the same actions of gazing into a mirror in a darkened room, is used as a supernatural dare in the tale of "Bloody Mary". Here, the motive is usually to test the adolescent gazers' mettle against a malevolent witch or ghost, in a ritual designed to allow the scryers' easy escape if the visions summoned prove too frightening.^[1] Legend tripping, in the folklore of the United States, is a name recently bestowed by folklorists and anthropologists on an adolescent rite of passage in which a usually furtive nocturnal pilgrimage is made to a site which is alleged to have been the scene of some tragic, horrific, and possibly... In contemporary Western folklore, Bloody Mary is a ghost or witch said to appear in a mirror when her name is called three times (or sometimes more, depending upon the version of the story), often as part of a game at slumber parties. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Witchcraft. ... For other uses, see Ghost (disambiguation). ...

Modern uses

• The Dr. John Dee Memorial Theater of the Mind research institute founded by the parapsychologist Raymond Moody utilizes crystallomancy to allow people to experience an altered state of consciousness with the intention of invoking apparitions of the dead.
• In the TV series Babylon 5, Telepath Alfred Bester uses a form of scrying in the episode The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father.
• Contemporary mass media, such as films, often depict scrying using a crystal ball, stereotypically used by an old gypsy woman.
• In Christopher Paolini's fictional universe of Alagasiea (Eragon) Dragon Riders can use scrying through shiny objects to see things they have seen before
• In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth (such as The Lord of the Rings), the Palantír is a stone that allows seeing any what any other Palantír sees, and the Mirror of Galadriel is used as a type of scrying device used to see visions of the past, present, or future.
• In the television show Charmed the main characters use crystals suspended over maps to scry for people. This is different from other forms because it just shows location and not a picture.
• A toy known as the 'Magic 8-Ball' which consists of a plastic ball filled with an inky solution that contains a buoyant icosahedron; each face of the icosahedron has different answers printed that appear to the 'consulter' through a small window when held upright. T.V. shows like Friends and the The Simpsons used this toy.

Raymond Moody (born June 30, 1944) is a parapsychologist. ... Babylon 5 is an epic American science fiction television series created, produced, and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. ... Telepathy, from the Greek τῆλε, tele, remote; and πάθεια, patheia, to be effected by, describes the hypothetical transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five classical senses. ... Alfred Bester is the name of a fictional character in the television series Babylon 5, played by Walter Koenig. ... The Corps is Mother, the Corps is Father is an episode from the fifth season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. ... Popular press redirects here; note that the University of Wisconsin Press publishes under the imprint The Popular Press. Mass media is a term used to denote a section of the media specifically envisioned and designed to reach a very large audience such as the population of a nation state. ... Languages Romani, languages of native region Religions Christianity, Islam Related ethnic groups South Asians (Desi) The Roma (singular Rom; sometimes Rroma, Rrom) or Romanies are an ethnic group living in many communities all over the world. ... Tolkien redirects here. ... A map of the Northwestern part of Middle-earth at the end of the Third Age, courtesy of the Encyclopedia of Arda. ... This article is about the novel. ... A palantír is a magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkiens fictional universe of Middle-earth. ... Galadriel pours water into the basin (top), and Frodo prepares to look into the mirror (bottom). ... For other uses, see Charm. ... The standard face of a Magic 8-Ball The Magic 8-Ball, manufactured by Mattel, is a toy used for fortune-telling. ... [Etymology: 16th century: from Greek eikosaedron, from eikosi twenty + -edron -hedron], icosahedral adjective An icosahedron noun (plural: -drons, -dra ) is any polyhedron having 20 faces, but usually a regular icosahedron is implied, which has equilateral triangles as faces. ... For friendship, see friendship. ... Simpsons redirects here. ...

Method of scrying

The visions that scryers say they see may come from variations in the medium. If the medium is water (hydromancy), then the visions may come from the color, ebb and flow, or ripples produced by pebbles dropped in a pool. If the medium is a crystal ball, the visions may come from the tiny inclusions, web-like faults, or the cloudy glow within the ball under low light (e.g. candlelight).

One method of scrying using a crystal ball involves a self-induced trance. Initially, the medium serves as a focus for the attention, removing unwanted thoughts from the mind in the same way as a mantra. Once this stage is achieved, the scryer begins a free association with the perceived images suggested. The technique of deliberately looking for and declaring these initial images aloud, however trivial or irrelevant they may seem to the conscious mind, is done with the intent of deepening the trance state, wherein the scryer hears their own disassociated voice affirming what is seen within the concentrated state in a kind of feedback loop. This process culminates in the achievement of a final and desired end stage in which rich visual images and dramatic stories seem to be projected within the medium itself, or directly within the mind's eye of the scryer, like an inner movie. This overall process reputedly allows the scryer to "see" relevant events or images within the chosen medium.

See also:

• Psychomanteum

Notes

Bill Ellis (born in 1950) is an American folklorist and associate professor of English and American studies at Penn State Hazleton. ...

References and further reading

• Scrying, A Short Course in
• Psychomanteum
• A Symbolic Representation of the Universe: Derived by Doctor John Dee Through the Scrying of Sir Edward Kelly ~Aleister Crowley, Adrian Axwirthy
• Crystal Gazing: Study in the History, Distribution, Theory and Practice of Scrying ~Theodore Besterman
• Scrying for Beginners: Tapping into the Supersensory Powers of Your Subconscious ~Donald Tyson
• Crystal Gazing: Its History and Practice with a Discussion on the Evidence for Telepathic Scrying ~Northcote W. Thomas
• Andrew Lang, Crystal visions, savage and civilised, The Making of Religion, Chapter V, Longmans, Green, and C°, London, New York and Bombay, 1900, pp. 83-104.
• Shepard, Leslie A. Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology. Gale Research, Inc. 
• http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/c/captromancy_or_enoptromancy.html
• http://www.agnosticwitch.catcara.com/divindex-part1.htm
• Armand Delatte, La catoptromancie grecque et ses dérivés (1932)
• Hydromancy
• Scrying and Divination Methods
• Techniques and methods of Hydromancy
• Andrew Lang, Crystal visions, savage and civilised, The Making of Religion, Chapter V, Longmans, Green, and C°, London, New York and Bombay, 1900, pp. 83-104.
• http://skepdic.com/scrying.html